The Ministry of National Defense said on the 22nd that the Cabinet approved a revision to the enforcement decree of the Protection of Military Bases and Installations Act, changing the designation of Susaek Airfield in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, from a support air operations base to a helicopter-only operations base.
The ministry said the revision was made to rationally adjust the base's designation, as there is no longer a need to maintain Susaek Airfield as a support air operations base given changes in how the airfield is actually operated and in operational plans.
With the change to a helicopter-only base, 19.8 square kilometers — or 93% — of the existing 21.3-square-kilometer flight safety zone has been lifted. The remaining 1.5 square kilometers will be reconfigured to suit a helicopter-only operations base.
The ministry said the narrowing of the flight safety zone, which restricts building heights, is expected to improve conditions for local residents to exercise their property rights and to support regional development and urban redevelopment projects.
Details on the reduction of the flight safety zone will be published in the official gazette on the 29th, in line with the promulgation of the revised decree.
